Coleman
Coleman v. American International Group, Inc. Group Benefit Plan
Opinion
Lead Opinion
Chhabria, J.
*1252 ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR JUDGMENT; GRANTING DEFENDANTS’ MOTION FORJUDGMENT
Re: Dkt. Nos. 36,
Introduction
Plaintiff Kathee Colman brought this suit under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”), alleging that Defendants American International Group, Inc. Group Benefit Plan (the “Plan”), and Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company (“Hartford”) failed to extend long-term disability benefits in violation 28 U.S.C. § 1132 . The parties filed cross-motions for judgment. Because the plaintiff has failed to establish that Hartford abused its discretion in denying further long-term disability benefits beyond August 2013 based on its determinations that, (i) the plaintiff had exhausted her benefits for a disability arising from a mental illness, and (ii) she had not shown she was disabled as the result of her physical ailments, the plaintiffs motion is denied. The defendants’ motion is granted in full.
I. Findings of Fact
A. Plan Terms
The Plan provides long-term disability benefits for a claimant who is' disabled because of: (1) “accidental bodily injury”; (2) “sickness”; (3) “Mental Illness”; (4) “Substance Abuse”; or (5)…